EDMONTON - Don’t let the padded shorts, cycling shoes, loud pounding music and even louder instructors keep you away. There’s nothing like a spin class to work your heart, your leg muscles and burn calories like crazy, says Derrick Vilemson, a personal trainer who teaches spin at Servus Credit Union Place in St. Albert, Alberta.

Basically, spin is indoor cycling on a stationary bike with other sweaty people, but in your mind, you could be riding in the Tour de France.

“Every class provides different challenges,” Vilemson says. “One class may focus on speed, another on hills, another on intervals, and different instructors have different methods as well, so you get a lot of variety. You don’t know what’s coming up next, almost.”

Anyone, even those who’ve never ridden a bike before, can do spin and everyone works at their own fitness level. He’s even had people who’ve had some rehabilitation on their knees or come back from an injury use spin to get their mobility back.

“Some of the bikes even have heart monitors so you can work within a certain range if you’re supposed to,” Vilemson says.

“I know some people get quite intimidated by treadmills and ellipticals and the gym atmosphere itself, but you can move your bike away from the group, or even try it on your own outside of a class and do your own thing,” he adds.

Don’t worry that spinning will make your leg muscles bulky.

“I’ve been doing spin up to five or six times a week for a year and my legs aren’t huge or anything, so you don’t get massive bulk.”

Numb bum, a.k.a. sore bum, is another story, but over time your body gets desensitized, Vilemson explains. There are also padded bicycle shorts and seat cushions you can buy to put over the seat itself. It’s a small pain in the butt for all the benefits you get from an awesome cardiovascular workout.

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